Piaget was founded in 1874 in La Côte-aux-Fées and built its 20th-century reputation on ultra-thin movements (the Cal. 9P from 1957, 2mm thick; the Cal. 12P from 1960, 2.3mm automatic with micro-rotor). The brand pivoted into luxury jewellery and ultra-thin dress watches through the 1960s and 70s. In 1979, under Yves G. Piaget (third-generation family member, then brand director), Piaget launched the Polo, a deliberate departure from the brand's ultra-thin-dress identity into the integrated-bracelet luxury-sport-watch category that Royal Oak (1972) and Nautilus (1976) had defined.
The original 1979 Polo (ref. 761) was a quartz watch in 18k yellow gold, with an unusual gadrooned (corduroy-textured) bezel and integrated bracelet, and a Calatrava-influenced dial. The launch was deliberately marketed via Yves Piaget's connection to the international polo circuit: he sponsored polo tournaments, photographed the watch on polo players, and positioned it as the leisure-luxury sport watch of the international wealthy. The Polo became Piaget's bestseller through the 1980s and 90s, with multiple variants in gold, two-tone, and gem-set versions.
The Polo was quietly discontinued in the 2000s as Piaget shifted focus to ultra-thin haute horlogerie (Altiplano line) and high jewellery. The luxury-sport-watch category went through its post-2010 renaissance without Piaget participating significantly, until the 2016 Polo S launch reintroduced the name. Designed under Piaget creative direction, the Polo S was a complete redesign: 42mm stainless steel case with a cushion case set inside a round bezel (the geometric quirk that became the watch's visual signature), integrated steel bracelet, horizontal-line guilloché dial, and a date window at 6 o'clock.
The Polo S launched at approximately CHF 9,400, an aggressive price for a luxury-sport watch from a brand of Piaget's heritage. The 2018 Polo S Chronograph followed (Cal. 1160P automatic chronograph). In 2021 Piaget added the Polo Date 42mm (ref. G0A41001, the current reference) at a similar price point, and various gem-set and skeletonised variants. The current Polo range spans approximately CHF 9,400 (Polo Date steel) to CHF 80,000+ (Polo Skeleton in pink gold with diamonds). Production volumes are small relative to AP and Patek, but Piaget has rebuilt the Polo as a serious modern luxury-sport-watch alternative.
